Africa-Press – Tanzania. FISHERMEN and other stakeholders in Kalambo District, on the shores of Lake Tanganyika in Rukwa, have expressed their worries over the lack of a reliable fish market.
The latest available statistics from the fishery department here in Kasanga indicate that at least 70,000 people living in the precincts closer to the submerged facility engage in fishing activities, and annually they produce more than 170,000 tons of fish.
They have thus asked the government to hasten the construction of a new fish market at Kasanga Ward along the shoreline of Lake Tanganyika in Kalambo District, Rukwa Region.
In a bid to replace the submerged facility due to the rising water level in Lake Tanganyika, which started last October, almost a year ago.
The 802.4m submerged facility was constructed from a fund mainly from the European Union (EU) and was officially opened by the then Vice President, Dr Mohamed Gharib Bilal, in 2011.
The initial facility was turned into a white elephant for ten years due to a lack of a cold room facility since there was no electricity.
Worse still, even after the problem was fixed last March 2020, the market facility was wholly submerged six months after it went into operation due to climate change challenges.
Fishermen interviewed by “Daily News” recently on various occasions expressed concern that if the situation is not addressed, it will force them to return to square one, where they were forced to sell fish to neighboring Zambia at low prices because they had no choice. “Definitely we had none,” explained one of them.
Due to lack of a reliable and competitive market, we were hired by the owners of the big fish processing factories on Zambia’s side.
They provided us with fishing boats, modern fishing gear, including fishing nets, fuel for powering motor boat engines, and conditions to sell fresh fish to them, but at throw away prices.
We had no option but to We were like slaves to them, “ lamented a fisherman, Johachim Sichilima.
Another fisherman, Mark Miti, said that since then, ,they have been left with no option at all but to sell fish to processing fish factories in Mpulungu Township on the Zambian side at a throw away price.
A similar sentiment was echoed by fishermen John Mkoma, Emmanuel Sinyangwe, Elias Siyame, and Mariam Nakazwe.
“This is the reason why we are appealing to the government via its Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries to speed up the construction of the new facility to avert our sufferings and market crisis.” We are tired of being afflicted with the suffering of selling fish to the Zambian side at thrown away prices. We simply have no other choice. Worse still, we have no other option.
It is disheartening and disappointing that for ten years now, those big and modern fish processing factories on the Zambian side are benefiting handsomely because we do not have a modern fish market for even preserving fresh fish, “added fisher Mariam Nakazwe.
During his working tour in the Rukwa Region in early September this year, Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Mashimba Ndaki visited the submerged facility; he asked about the quick pace of construction for a new facility.
He then directed the Kalambo DED, Shafi Mpenda, to hasten the allocation of another area for the construction of a new facility.
“The government has sufficient funds for the project, which is why I’m directing DED to speed up the process of allocating another area for the building of the new facility,” emphasized the minister.
In the 2020-21 budget, the ministry allocated over 78m/- for minor renovation of the facility, which has stayed idle since 2011.
The Kalambo District Council Executive Director (DED), Mpenda, said the council has heeded the directive issued by the Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Mashimba Ndaki, by allocating five acres of land at the hilly precinct of Kiwalani fishing village on the shores of Lake Tanganyika in Kasanga Ward for the construction of a new fish market facility.
He then directed the Kalambo DED, Shafi Mpenda, to hasten the allocation of another area for the construction of a new facility.
“The sixth phase administration has sufficient funds for the project,” emphasized the minister.
The Kalambo (DED), Shafi Mpenda, said the council has heeded the directive issued by Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Mashimba Ndaki, by allocating five acres of land at the hilly precinct of Kiwalani fishing village along the shoreline of Lake Tanganyika in Kasanga Ward for the construction of a new fish market facility.
“We are appealing to the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries to disburse to the council such a fund of over 78m/- for preliminary construction of the project.” explained the DED.
Kalambo District Council Livestock and Fisheries Officer, Wilbroad Kansapa, told this paper recently that fishermen who want to export fish in neighbouring Zambia have been instructed to adhere to proper procedures by involving people and companies licensed for export fishing instead of smuggling them out.
For More News And Analysis About Tanzania Follow Africa-Press
